"I’m less than 24 hours out of surgery and so not in condition to write at length, but I have to tell y’all that it went better than 100%. The surgeon in effect did the job he wanted to do after much more chemo, took out the tumor and a suspicious lymph node, didn’t take my whole stomach.. Thanks to y’all for your prayers of all kinds and degrees. More when more able."

Monday, May 24, 2010

But Gene and his situation have required more and more attention. I've avoided discussing many of the details, avoided adding the insult of embarrassment to his injuries, but much of his story is public record and anyone who really wants to know can turn over the rocks and see what crawls out. And it's not pretty.

I hope to see many of you at Aardwolf Publishing's party this Wednesday evening. Gene and his son Eric plan to attend.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Gene is still in the hospital and everything is not wine and roses as someone erroneously reported. He is not "ready to work" in another two weeks; his life is far from "back to normal."

All legal and financial matters continue to be handled by his son Eric and his attorney Leo Klein; I continue to function as his agent and business manager.

Gene hopes to be home soon and we are all working towards that goal. He also plans to attend Aardwolf Publishing's party (however briefly) on May 26.

Are you a fan of Gene's? Now is a great time to send get well wishes. If you are a fellow pro or friend who does not know how to get in touch with him, contact me and I'll put you together. Gene has been hospitalized since March 31 and could use the calls and encouragement.

I am extremely busy with business and family obligations and will be out of touch until this Sunday.

Monday, May 10, 2010

The Gene Colan Benefit Auction (which Walter Simonson nudged me into, though be prob'ly won't admit it) continues here. And Walter just finished "Team Kickass" (pictured) for the benefit. This art will end up on Ebay. Click on it--it rocks the house!

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Call it a vice, but I bet fights. And my money was solid on Paul Daley last night. I should’ve bet that he’d end up in jail.

My sons and I watched in amazement as Daley, frustrated by Koscheck's wrestling dominance for three straight rounds (doing a perfect imitation of what wrestlers call a fish), threw a blind sucker punch at Koscheck well after the fight was over, while Koscheck’s back was turned to Daley.

"Are you kidding me?!” screamed Big Dan Miragliotta the ref as he grabbed the sucker-throwing thug around the neck and held him against the cage. “You're a professional!"

Wrong. Daley used to be a professional. Now he’s a bum. Have we learned nothing from Richard Nixon?

Within hours, UFC ceo Dana White dropped Daley like a bad habit from his organization. In a sport working hard for legitimacy, Daley's sleazy sucker punch will be MMA’s shot heard round the world. Nice move dickhead.

So Josh Koscheck now steps up against reigning champ George St. Pierre (the king of class) as counter coach on next season’s “The Ultimate Fighter.” And Daley can get his resume ready tomorrow as he pounds the pavement looking for work. He’s already practicing the line, “You want fries with that?”

Of course, we’ll likely see Paul Daley fight again, only next time it will be in front of dozens of people in some bar within driving distance of his apartment.

If you read this blog or follow the comings and goings of Mrs. Meth’s son Clifford, you’re aware of my decades-long association with The Futurians. Created by my pal Dave Cockrum, The Futurians have had several shots at the big screen that didn’t quite pan out (partly due to the ineptitude of Howard Jonas’ IDT Entertainment, partly due to that disingenuous, mealy-mouthed sleaze ball of a stuffed shirt Richard Saperstein). But interest in this title has never waned and there are a number of Futurians projects on the horizon, and several proposals on my desk.

First at bat is the new Avatar mini-series from David Miller Studios. This is the first time Cockrum’s “Andrew Pendragon” gets top billing. As David Miller explains, “Avatar returns to his English home for a family funeral and encounters an ancient evil from his past; an evil that could consume all of Great Britain.” Issue #1 features a cover by Greg Larocque, who was drawing DC's Flash back when my buddy William Messner-Loebs was turning in the finest scripts that title ever saw ever (note the double use of the word ever). The incomparable Michael Netzer and inker Joe Rubinstien will be joining the series with issue #2.

Avatar of the Futurians #1, which includes an introduction by your rarely humbled author, is available now from the May Diamond Previews (p. 292).

Meth Addict

Attempting to post comments to this blog? Note that I don't accept anonymous comments. No guts, no glory.

Eye of the Beholder

Meth is a dangerous writer. He doesn’t seem to care if you like him.- Neal Adams

Meth’s writing is fresh and absorbing—clever and replete with surprises.- Stan Lee

Anyone who can give Barry Windsor-Smith a pissy fit is okay in my book.- Joe Staton

The only thing about Cliff’s writing that makes me crazy is the demented titles he puts on them. For a guy who writes as well as he does, and who thinks as deeply as he does, I can’t figure it out! - Harlan Ellison

Clifford Meth is one of dark fiction's best-kept secrets.- Barnes and Noble

Meth is one of the more intriguing writers of short stories to arrive in recent years. A damned fine writer. He does not write the easy stories.- Tony Isabella / The Comic Buyer’s Guide

Meth’s imagination, integrity and insight are touched by a dark, often perverse humor. It’s always exciting to discover new writers on their way up—and Meth’s course is worth charting. - Jim Steranko

I don’t know how much money the Cockrums got, but having a friend like Clifford Meth is worth more than a million dollars. - John Romita

Cliff’s writing has attitude. While his stories are frequently angry or outrageous, they’re all honest insights into the human psyche. - Dave Cockrum (co-creator of The X-Men)

Meth is a unique and exciting voice--funny, twisted, visionary. His insights into character and culture are often startling and his stories, always entertaining. I am a huge fan. - Richard Saperstein, Pres. The Weinstein Company

Clifford Meth sharpens the mundane details of everyday life to a razor's edge. I know of no other experience so simultaneously depressing...and uplifting. - Steve Brown, Chairman IDT Entertainment

You write character dialogue like O'Hara & string words together so effortlessly, kiddo. Kudos to you! Love good writing--the stuff so rare in comics & animation, my two vexing venues...I'm ossified, I'm sure, by actually reading top story work. - Alex Toth

Although they're called dark fiction, there's a "real" quality to Clifford Meth's stories that lifts them up and out of his books. And each successive story remains unique enough to make me start another, wondering what he'll come up with next. - Steve Forbert

Clifford Meth knows things. Dark, dank, nasty things... He doesn't scrape away the barnacles covering the hull of human interaction so much as he lifts up the barnacles, describes what's under them, and then puts the barnacles back and walks away with his hands in his pockets, whistling in the dark. - Peter David

Clifford Meth has done more to make the comic book industry better for its creators than has the collective career of many good people working within it. Those who speak much and do little struggle to fathom how some inspire granduer with few words. To them, Clifford Meth is of the unfathomable. - Michael Netzer

[Meth's] work is about the dark side of life, as if he were sculpting beautifully realistic statues while working exclusively in blood and excrement. And then setting them on fire...I'm a huge fan. I read him mouth open and giggling, stunned, amused and aroused. - Bill Messner-Loebs

I read Clifford Meth because the guy has a unique niche. He doesn't write fiction--he writes punk fiction! - Andy Shernoff (The Dictators)

Meth's writing is dark, relentless and always in your face. It doesn’t make for easy reading, but it is highly emotional and makes you pay attention, which is the best thing a writer can do... He writes from a place others won’t walk. - Marv Wolfman (creator of Blade)

Every Clifford Meth story is a tale of two balls. - Peppi Marchello (The Good Rats)

If you have missed the true, revealing richness of [Meth's] implications, then consider this an urgent reminder--a rap on the knuckles--to read it again. - Robert Bloch (author of Psycho)

Cliff writes very well about very intimate subjects.- Steve Gerber (creator of Howard the Duck)

It's easy to be your friend when there ain't no shit coming down. It's when the nails are being driven into your wrists that you find out whether somebody is a real friend and a stand-up person. And that's Cliff. - Harlan Ellison

Cliff, on behalf of the creative community, let me be the zillionth to thank you for the great care and Ellisonian-level protectiveness you've shown to the giants. - Mark Waid

Saying good things about Clifford Meth is like giving endorsements to Zorro. - Barney Dannelke

Comics for Sale

In addition to representing Dave Cockrum's personal collection for his Estate, I am selling my Silver Age collection. Click here for details.